Introduction to Motivational Interviewing with Joel Porter

This entry level 2-day workshop will be held in Auckland on 8-9 December 2011.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a clinical counselling method to help people make decisions about change. It involves the use of empathic listening and other counselling skills to elicit and consolidate a person’s motivation to change.In contrast with methods that rely on directly persuading people into change, MI is based on conveying acceptance and hope with respect for peoples’ individuality and autonomy, thereby providing the professional with the opportunity to skilfully elicit peoples’ own good reasons to change. For more information about MI see www.motivationalinterview.org

In this comprehensive workshop participants will:

• Develop and understand the fundamental spirit and principles of MI
• Learn and practice core counselling skills of this approach
• Gain experience and confidence through demonstration and practice
• Become familiar with research evidence on the efficacy of this method
• Explore how this approach may be applied in one’s own clinical setting